Henri Barbusse1873—1935

Henri Barbusse was a French novelist and a member of the French Communist Party. Barbusse first came to fame with the publication of his novel Le Feu (Under Fire), which was based on his experiences during World War I. By this time, Barbusse had become a pacifist, and his writing demonstrated his growing hatred of militarism. Le Feu drew criticism at the time for its harsh naturalism, but won the Prix Goncourt. In 1918, he left France and moved to Moscow, where joined the Bolshevik Party. The Russian Revolution had significant influence on Barbusse’s life and his later works (Elevations) show a more revolutionary standpoint.